1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to anti-skid devices for tires, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to an improved anti-skid apparatus that is easily and quickly secured to a tire without requiring rotation of the tire or the expenditure of significant physical labor. In another aspect, the present invention relates to a modified tire rim for use with the anti-skid apparatus of the present invention.
2. Description of Related Art
The use of tire chains and other devices to increase a vehicle's traction when the vehicle is travelling along ice or snow covered roads is well known. These devices typically include one or more traction units spaced about the tread of the tire. The traction units are often in the form of a length of chain or studded cable and have been secured about the tread of the tire in a variety of different ways. For example, the most common method of securing traction units to a tire is by interconnecting the traction units with a pair of chains or cables which encircle the inner and outer sidewalls of the tire. While these types of devices have proven effective for providing the required traction, the process of installing such tire chains along a roadside is a difficult and often physically taxing task.
To begin, such tire chains are usually installed on a tire in inclement weather, such as snow or ice. Next, the installer must gain access to the inner sidewall of the tire in order to connect the ends of the chain or cable positioned on the inner sidewall of the tire. The problem encountered in doing this is that the installer must generally need to be able to view the ends of the chain or cable to make this connection. Therefore, the installer has to lay on the ground, which is usually covered with snow, ice, or mud, to view the inner sidewall of the tire and make the required connection.
Other anti-skid devices which are of the types that are clamped to the inner and outer sidewall of the tire, have also been proposed. These devices typically include a U-shaped traction member which is positionable over a section of the tire and a clamp assembly for clamping the traction member to either the sidewalls of the tire or the inner and outer portions of the tire rim. The problem experienced with these types of devices is that the clamp assemblies are generally rigid in nature. As such, travel of a vehicle along a road while one of these types of devices is clamped to the tire or the rim can result in significant damage to the tire or the rim.
To this end, a need exists for an improved anti-skid device for a tire that is easy to install and yet will not damage the tire or the rim. It is to such a device that the present invention is directed.